Track-gage.



J. DOBBINS.

TBAOK GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MALE, 1911.

1,003,886. Patented Sept. 19,1911.

UNITE STATS PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES DOBBINS, 0F FARMINGTON, MISSOURI.

TRACK-:GAGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns DOBBINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Farmington, in the county of St. Francois and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Track-Gages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to track gages and the object of the invention is the provision of an improved track gage which may be conveniently attached to a hand car or track tricycle and which will show the degree of separation or contraction of the rails and which will automatically signal the operator when the tracks are spread to the danger point.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the device attached to the front of a hand car. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 represents a substantially U-shaped frame which is secured to the front portion of a hand car or track tricycle, in any suitable manner but preferably by attaching the side bars 1 of the hand car to suitable brackets 1 carried by the frame. The terminals of the legs of the frame are bent at right angles to form axles 2 upon which the gage wheels3 are journaled. These axles are of such length as to give the wheels considerable lateral movement thereon and have limiting nuts 1 upon their outer ends.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 21, 1911.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Serial No. 615,924.

ing flanges which receive the bar 12 and which is provided with graduation marks 13 adapted to coact with the end of the bar 12 to indicate the separation of the rails, as will be hereinafter described. These bars 11 and 12 operate within the frame 14 suspended from the yoke portion 15 of the frame and the bar 11 has mounted upon its outer end a tripping dog 16 adapted to engage the lower end of a tripping lever 17 which is pivoted to the frame and which has its upper end arranged in the path of a spring operated clapper 18. This clapper is arranged to engage a bell 19 when the trip lever 17 is released from clapper. The tripping lever 17 is provided with an offset 20 so as to permit the tripping lever to drop and release the clapper, whereby this spring will carry it into engagement with the bell 19. The outer end of the tripping dog 16 is preferably rounded, as shown, so that when the bar 11 is returned to normal the tripping lever will ride up thereon and assume its normal position.

In the operation of the device the spring- 8 normally keeps the flange of the wheels 3 in engagement with the inner side of the heads of the rails, and, as these rails widen, the arms 11 and 12 operate over each other and show upon the scale 13 the degree of separation. The dog 16 operates in the path to engage beneath the tripping lever 17. lVhen the tracks are separated .to a point where there is danger of the wheels of a train slipping off, the dog 16 passes the oifset 20 in the tripping lever and allows it to drop, thus releasing the tension it has placed upon the clapper spring and permitting the clapper to engage the bell.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is In combination, a track vehicle body, a substantially U-shaped frame secured there to, axles connected to said frame, track wheels rotatably and slidably mounted upon said axles, sleeves slidably mounted upon the axles between the frame and the Wheels, upright levers for operating said sleeves, a spring connecting the upper ends of the levers for normally forcing the sleeves apart, coacting arms carried by the upper ends of the lever, one of said arms a tripping lever controlled by one of said arms for operating the clapper.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES DOBBINS.

having a scale thereon and the other arm Witnesses adapted to operate over the scale and form W. C. HARRIS, a pointer, a gong, a clapper therefor, and E. WV. GRANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

